Speaker

Ed Rodriguez joined Ventura Foods as Vice President of Field Human Resources in 2011 and has held the title of Vice President of Organizational and Leadership Development since 2012. He began his career in human resources at PepsiCo in 1995. After serving as a Human Resources Manager in several Los Angeles area locations, he became regional Staffing and Training Manager for Southern California in 1999. In 2001, he joined Pepsi Bottling Group’s headquarters HR team as a Labor Relations Manager and Chief Spokesperson. A year later, he joined the acquisition and integration team, and later was named Director of Human Resources for PBG Mexico, where he was responsible for 26,000 employees, twenty-five plants, and more than 150 sales and distribution locations. In 2004, Mr. Rodriguez returned to PBG’s headquarters as Vice President of International Capability for its Mexico, Canada, and European operations, and was later named Vice President of Organizational Capability and Diversity, where he led PBG to a #2 ranking on DiversityInc Magazine’s 2006 Top Companies for Diversity. In 2007, he was named divisional Vice President of Pepsi’s West Business Unit, where he was responsible for 7,500 employees across California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska. In 2009, Mr. Rodriguez was named to HispanicBusiness magazine’s Top 60 Corporate Elite list. 

Mr. Rodriguez earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in Communication Management from USC. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Education with an emphasis in Leadership studies at Chapman University in Orange County, California.  He is a Certified Professional Coach.